{"id":116791,"date":"2024-01-19T18:02:07","date_gmt":"2024-01-19T18:02:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lascrucestoday.com\/magic\/2024\/01\/19\/new-we-are-the-world-doc-reveals-prince-was-a-no-show-replaced-by-huey-lewis\/"},"modified":"2024-01-19T18:02:07","modified_gmt":"2024-01-19T18:02:07","slug":"new-we-are-the-world-doc-reveals-prince-was-a-no-show-replaced-by-huey-lewis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lascrucestoday.com\/magic\/2024\/01\/19\/new-we-are-the-world-doc-reveals-prince-was-a-no-show-replaced-by-huey-lewis\/","title":{"rendered":"New “We Are the World” doc reveals Prince was a no-show, replaced by Huey Lewis"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie share Song of the Year Grammy for “We Are the World;”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The new documentary about the making of the 1985 charity single “We Are the World,<\/a>” The Grea<\/em>test Night In Pop<\/em>, premieres January 19 at the Sundance Film Festival before hitting Netflix on January 29. Speaking to\u00a0The Hollywood Reporter<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0Lionel Richie<\/strong>, who co-wrote the song, talks about one of the doc’s revelations: Prince<\/strong> bailed, so Huey Lewis<\/strong> had to sing his parts.<\/p>\n

“We Are the World” was recorded the night of the 1985 American Music Awards, when all the stars were in LA. Everyone from Stevie Wonder <\/strong>and Michael Jackson<\/strong> to Billy Joel<\/strong> and Bruce Springsteen<\/strong> showed up, but Prince didn’t. Lionel tells THR<\/em>\u00a0he still doesn’t know why, but he has some ideas.<\/p>\n

“At that time, he wasn\u2019t a group person. He was Prince,” explains Lionel. “The next thing is his rival, Michael <\/strong>[Jackson<\/strong>]. Do you want to stop the rivalry and join a group of people singing a song, standing next to his rival? No. I mean, from a strictly egotistical point of view, I could see it.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“I was hoping he was going to come by. But there\u2019s a point when that tape starts rolling, that\u2019s it,” he adds. “But that has always been my only thought: ‘What if?’ I don\u2019t quite know what that would\u2019ve been.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Huey was then tasked with filling in for Prince.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Poor Huey, even to this day, he still hasn\u2019t recovered. He did a great job,” Lionel laughs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lionel says doing a song like “We Are the World” today would be impossible because people are too jaded and artists’ voices aren’t distinctive enough.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

“The way to judge it is …put me together, one line per artist, and without looking at a photograph, tell me who that is singing,” he says. “One line, half a line. Tell me who that is today.”<\/span><\/p>\n